Traditional Bulgarian Costumes

Traditional Bulgarian Costumes

The traditional Bulgarian costume is one of the most typical elements of the Bulgarian folk culture. It is the traditional clothing which has a specific meaning in both everyday and festival activities of the Bulgarians. Each region of Bulgaria has its own costume with unique, typical motifs.

Specific code is weaved into the ornamentation of the Bulgarian costumes. In the past the Bulgarians used to rely on it for information about the family of those, who wore them, and the areas of the country, where they lived. Each costume had its message.

The Bulgarian costume contains many elements and motifs from the pagan beliefs and legends. No one wore clothes with fully symmetrical decorations, because Bulgarians believed that full symmetry was a diabolical creation. Therefore, elements were often added and removed, so that no symmetry should exist. Those were intentional mistakes in order to prevent the evil eye.